10 Declassified RAW Operations That Will Fill You With Pride

It is a testimony to the secrecy maintained by RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) that there is so less concrete information available on the web about its operations. Sadly, this often portrays a sorry picture of RAW in the public domain.

9. Operation Smiling Buddha- Operation Smiling Buddha was the name given to India’s nuclear Programme. The task to keep it under tight wraps for security was given to RAW. This was the first time that RAW was involved in a project inside India. On 18 May 1974, India detonated a 15-kiloton plutonium device at Pokhran and became a member of the nuclear club. All international intelligence agencies remained in dark about Indian nuclear weapons programs until then.

8. Special Operations- After successfully, separating Bangladesh from Pakistan, RAW tried to destabilize Pakistan and separate Baluchistan from it. In the mid 1980’s, RAW set up two covert groups, Counterintelligence Team-X(CIT-X) and Counterintelligence Team-J(CIT-J), the first directed at Pakistan and the second at Khalistani groups(funded by ISI to separate Punjab from India). Rabinder Singh, the RAW double agent who defected to the United States in 2004, helped run CIT-J in its early years. Both these covert groups used the services of cross-border traffickers to ferry weapons and funds across the border, much as their ISI counterparts were doing.

According to former RAW official and noted security analyst B. Raman, the Indian counter-campaign yielded results. “The role of our cover action capability in putting an end to the ISI’s interference in Punjab”, he wrote in 2002, “by making such interference prohibitively costly is little known and understood.” These covert operations were discontinued during the tenure of IK Gujral and were never restarted. B Raman the former RAW cabinet secretary, such covert operations were successful in keeping a check on ISI and were “responsible for ending the Khalistani insurgency.” He also notes that a lack of such covert capabilities, since they were closed down in 1997, has left the country even more vulnerable than before and says that developing covert capabilities is the need of the hour.

7. Snatch operations with IB- In late 2009, investigative journal, The Week ran a cover story on one of India’s major clandestine operations that the R&AW ran with Intelligence Bureau to nab terrorists infiltrating India via Nepal and other neighboring countries. In order to bypass the lengthy extradition process, RAW conducts snatch operations to nab suspects from various foreign countries. The suspect is brought to India, interrogated and is usually produced before a court. With emergence of Nepal as a terror transit point, RAW and the IB (Intelligence Bureau) started closely monitoring the movement of suspected terrorists in Nepal. According to The Week in last decade there has been close to 400 successful snatch operations conducted by RAW and/or IB in Nepal, Bangladesh and other countries. Some famous snatch netted Bhupinder Singh Bhuda of the Khalistan Commando Force, Lashkar militant Tariq Mehmood, Sheikh Abdul Khwaja, one of the handlers of the 26/11 attacks, etc. Most of the suspects are kept at Tihar Jail.

6. Intelligence on 2008 Mumbai Attacks:

NSG commandos

About two to six months before 26/11 Mumbai attacks, R&AW had intercepted several telephone calls through SIGINT, which pointed at impending attacks on Mumbai Hotels by Pakistan based terrorists, however there was a coordination failure and no follow up action was taken. Few hours before the attacks, R&AW technician monitoring satellite transmissions picked up conversations between attackers and handlers, as the attackers were sailing toward Mumbai.

The technician flagged the conversations as being suspicious and passed them on to his superiors. RAW believed that they were worrying and immediately alerted the office of the National Security Advisor. However the intelligence was ignored. Later, just after the terrorists had attacked Mumbai, RAW technicians started monitoring the six phones used by the terrorists and recorded conversations between the terrorists and their handlers. On January 15, 2010, in a successful snatch operation, RAW agents nabbed Sheikh Abdul Khwaja, one of the handlers of the 26/11 attacks, chief of HuJI India operations and a most wanted terror suspect in India, from Colombo, Sri Lanka and brought them over to Hyderabad, India for formal arrest.

5. Operation Leech-

Surrounded by Arakans and dense forest, Myanmar because of its Military Dictatorship had always been a worrisome point for Indian intelligence. As the major player in the area, India has sought to promote democracy and install friendly governments in the region. To these ends, RAW cultivated Burmese rebel groups and pro-democracy coalitions, especially the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). India allowed the KIA to carry a limited trade in jade (ornamental stone) and precious stones using Indian Territory and even supplied them with weapons.

It is further alleged that KIA chief Maran Brang Seng met the R&AW chief in Delhi twice. However, when the KIA became the main source of training and weapons for all northeastern Indian rebel groups, RAW initiated an operation, code named Operation Leech, to assassinate the leaders of RAW trained Burmese rebels to set an example to other groups. Six top rebel leaders, including military wing chief of National Unity Party of Arakans (NUPA), Khaing Raza, were shot dead and 34 Arakanese guerrillas were arrested and charged with gunrunning.

4. Operation Chanakya-

Operation Chanakya was the RAW operation in the Kashmir to infiltrate various ISI-backed Kashmiri separatist groups and restore peace in the Kashmir valley. R&AW operatives infiltrated the area, collected military intelligence, and provided evidence about ISI’s involvement in training and funding Kashmiri separatist groups. RAW was successful not only in unearthing the links between the ISI and the separatist groups, but also in infiltrating and neutralizing the militancy in the Kashmir valley. RAW is also credited for creating a split in the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. Operation Chanakya also marked the creation of pro-Indian groups in Kashmir like the Ikhwan-ul-Muslimeen, Muslim Mujahideen, etc. These counter-insurgencies consist of ex-militants and relatives of those slain in the conflict. Ikhwan-ul-Muslimeen leader Kokka Parrey was himself assassinated by separatists.

3. Sri Lanka-
RAW started training LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) to keep a check on Sri Lanka, which had helped Pakistan in the Indo-Pak War by allowing Pakistani ships to refuel at Sri Lankan ports. However, the LTTE created a lot of problems and complications and the then Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi was forced to send the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in 1987 to restore normalcy in the region.

The disastrous mission of the IPKF was blamed by many on the lack of coordination between the IPKF and RAW. Its most disastrous manifestation was the Helicopter assault on LTTE HQ in the Jaffna University campus in the opening stages of Operation Pawan. The site was chosen without any prior consultation with the RAW. The dropping paratroopers became easy targets for the LTTE. A number of soldiers were killed. The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi is also blamed as fallout of the failed RAW operation in Sri Lanka.

2. Creation of Bangladesh and Aftermath-

In the early 1970s, the army of Pakistan prosecuted a bloody military crackdown in response to the Bangladeshi independence movement. Nearly 10 million refugees fled to India. The R&AW’s Bangladeshi independence movement began in early 1970 by sowing discord among the disgruntled population of Bangladesh (then called East Pakistan), suffering repression by the Pakistani political establishment. This led to the creation of the Mukti Bahini (Liberation Army of Bengali resistance movement).

RAW was responsible for supplying information and heavy ammunition to this organization that led to Bangladesh War, its independence and later self-governance within months. Even USA hasn’t been successful at achieving this in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, within months of independence of Bangladesh, Mujibur Rahman(First President) was assassinated at his residence. R&AW operatives claim that they had advance information about Mujib-ur-Rahman’s assassination, but he tragically ignored R&AW’s inputs.
He was killed along with 40 members of his family. R&AW thus failed to prevent the assassination, which led to the loss of a charismatic leader who had a soft corner for India after all they had done for his country’s independence. However, R&AW has successfully thwarted plans of assassinating Sheikh Hasina Wazed, daughter of Mujibur Rahman, by Islamist extremists and the ISI.

1. Operation Kahuta- Operation Kahuta is regarded by many as one of the most daring operation ever conducted by RAW. The only reason it failed was due to a grave blunder by an Indian Prime Minister. Kahuta is the site of the Khan Research Laboratories(KRL), Pakistan’s main nuclear weapons laboratory as well as an emerging center for long-range missile development. The primary Pakistani fissile-material production facility is located at Kahuta, employing gas centrifuge enrichment technology to produce Highly Enriched Uranium(necessary for nuclear weapons).

RAW first confirmed Pakistan’s nuclear programs by analyzing the hair samples of scientists snatched from the floor of barber shops near KRL; which showed that Pakistan had developed the ability to enrich uranium to weapons-grade quality. R&AW agents knew of Kahuta Research Laboratories from at least early 1978, when the then Indian Prime Minister, Morarji Desai stopped RAWs operations on Pakistan’s covert nuclear weapons program (because it was started by Indira Gandhi).

In an indiscreet moment in a telephone conversation one day, Morarji Desai informed the then Pakistan President, Zia-ul-Haq, that India was aware of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program. According to later reports, acting on this “tip-off”, Pakistani Intelligence eliminated RAW’s agents on Kahuta, leaving India in the dark about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program from then on.Out of these 10, there have been Reports in Pakistani Media of RAW’s involvement in freedom struggle of Balochistan .India has denied it and no one knows the truth. It is true that ISI is certainly afraid of RAW and reporters of Pakistani media shows the chill that RAW sends them.

A really informative article about R&AW and its daring operations. Its time to recognize the contribution RAW and its operatives has given to the nation over all these years. Really proud of them!
Keep up the good work admin!
JAI HIND !

Operation Leech was a betrayal – a slap on the face on Indian Authority as a champion of Democracy – Something that was mentioned by Suu Kyi in her post liberation interview with NDTV. People say that mastermind behind the operation – Colonel Gary(Grewal) was in fact a double agent working with the Junta. Some others say New Delhi directed did what is did to appease the Junta for petty financial gains.
No evidence has ever been found which could have implicated KIA or Arakan National Army in Anti-Indian activities. KIA members in fact landed in Andamans on invitation from R&AW

I’m more than happy to discover this web site. I want to to thank
you for your time just for this fantastic read!!
I definitely liked every part of it and I have you book marked to check out new things on your blog.

If these operations are really genuine, didn’t you feel the need to be responsible enough to keep it to yourself rather than posting it on the net. Such information hardly does any good to the general people but rather undermines a lot of on-going operations/discussions.
Sure the article was informative but the information is pointless to be shared with everybody.

Balochistan wasn’t supported by India but by Iraq. The role of CITs were limited to Sindh and Punjab. Balochistan separatists have provided India with intelligence but India hasn’t offered support. The evidence provided to India by Pakistan is of the meetings of the separatists with Indian officials in Afghanistan and New Delhi. Their leaders have visited India by legitimate means and not through any back channels, which means that Pakistan could have easily arrested them on arrival from India. If India were to support any such movement then its effect on the ground will be clearly felt as in case of Mukti Bahini, LTTE, KIA, VDC etc. Thus, the reports from Pakistan media are merely a reflection of its obsession with India and to malign India.

It makes feel proud that i am an INDIAN. and now i can slap n slap hard to those who say RAW is nothing compared to other secret agencies. the only thing that’s disturbing here in the above comments is the lack of trust shown in LEADERS ,not everybody is a leader but only those who protected humanity and let others live peacefully must be considered LEADERS.This department here the INTELLIGENCE is way more complicated n diplomatic in nature. So stop your nonsense on who is better n who is worst , actually there are BRAVE, HONEST, PATRIOTIC men n women protecting your asses here. And if you have so much disagreement with the LEADERSHIP then step forward and make the change , if not making it atleast demand so. COZ IT IS VERY EASY TO CLICK SOME KEYS ON THE BOARD THAN TO EVEN THINKING OF MAKING SUCH PLANS.
AT LAST I THANK THE BLOGGER VERY MUCH WHO EDUCATED ME ON THIS GLORIOUS HISTORY OF MY COUNTRIES SECRET SECURITY.

We are grateful to India as the helped us to recover our nation. If India on that contemporary time didn’t help us out then we would remain the same. I love India but don’t think that I am hindu for that. Actually for cooperation.

it does not matter you are a hindu,muslim , sikh or christian .. our religion must be humanity and India is a peace loving nation and Pakistan army has done massive human rights violations in east pakistan so we had to intervene for the greater good . 🙂

This is just like those Call of Duty : Black Ops series of video games

BTW, the new edition Black Ops 2 has a mission where CIA joins Taliban during 1980s to fight against the Soviets. Later missions show CIA infiltrating Pak nuclear facilities and defending Indian ones. 🙂

to be honest , i never played Call Of Duty but i hope whatever you just said , will be true in real as well , er .. navy seals played counter strike in abottabad some time back , and drone attacks are daily issue there , but USA is supporting Pakistan by providing them huge amount of economic and military assistance , thanks for the compliment in the last.

Guys…..this was a major news around the time when India detonated it’s first nuclear bomb. Operation Smiling Buddha was not a roaring success as written above. The US govt. got to know this info beforehand somehow and shared it with the UK and Russian Intelligentsia. But both of them didn’t think it was any threat to them. So, the US govt. threatened India govt. (lead by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP at that time), but he never cared. And they did detonate the bomb with satisfactory results, but even the US govt kept their mouth shut after we detonated it.

Thanks to this website….there are so many websites and other sources including the Indian Armed forces’s own websites which provide a lot of information about the success story of Armed forces and paramilitary too…. But there is a lack of source to know the success of RAW…maybe it is Goverments priority…. A small number of our citizens know about RAW and it’s success..the rest of us know nothing even the name of RAW…we salute those unknown heros…they deserve more respect. Jay Hind..

These operations particularly operation kahuta,bangladesh and leech shows the efficiency and proffesionalism of RAW.

The reason that they’re professional is why they remain silent…..unlike those dumb ISI who r merely some punks knowing to do bomblast and Shouting loud about it…by far ISI has no credits that could match RAW’s top ops.

The only problem with RAW is it mostly utilises social emgineering skills to meet objectives…. recruiting some innovative technical people can give it some sharp claws

RAW wasn’t involved in eliminating Khalistan from Punjab but Khalistani commandos were sheltered in Nepal, RAW played a major role in nabbing them. In late 90s and early 2000s many khalistani safe houses were raided in Nepal by RAW.

Everyone know that Bangladesh was created by India. But, instead of being grateful, the same country is the one of the biggest enemies of India by training muslim jihadi terrorists, illegal immigrants to India, circulating Indian counterfeit currency notes and mainly cleansing Hindu populations from Bangladesh .and hindu temple destructions .What an irony !. In future, if there is a war between India and Pakistan, I am sure they will side with Pakistan on religious grounds stating it is their duty ,!

@warriors blood there is no evidence of india made weapon in baluchistan.insas rifles are used bu us,oman,iran & nato.it doesnt mean yu find ak45-56 in any countres that russia is involved in that country.

i dont care about whoever you are but before having written all this fanatic tale…ask some of your indian inteellegence what the ISI have they made out of your great rRAW,,guess you don.t know the entire story behind khauta raw operated upto an extent till which ISI wanted it,,,DON.T live in the world of fool.s glance the reality,ISI ALway.s have defeated raw and always will if raw is interferring in balochistan i think you don.t know the entire story of your so called liberal india.isi is inside your roots..ISI iS WIRLD,S TOP SECRET AND PROFESSIONAL AGENCY/.

Great article! Absolutely changed my perception about RAM, which I’ve usually heard that it is nothing in comparison with ISI.
Makes me feel very proud to be an Indian.
I dearly hope that with now better/supporting government and leader (NaMo) at center, RAW will be able to bring back India’s most wanted (alive or dead) from our ill neighborhood, i.e. Dawood and then Hafeez saeed.
We want justice in India by strictly punishing these people for their immense horrible deeds. I hope that day is not far by!

Man…why India losing its quality in every field….a news channel shows the internet terrirst activity and our intelligence did not had any idea about that…the news shows exact msg ,location etc every thing..

MQM political party in karachi is fully supported by R&aw.Their main cause is to seprate Karachi from Pak but fortunately ISI arresting them and executing.R&aw is trying to destabilized Blouchistan but faild their handlersare are arresting and killing by ISI sword.ISI ejecting the R&aw from
Afghanistan.Now there is totally
Panic in India.You Indian are living in the world of fools.ISI is the no 1 intelligence agencie
in the world.For proof many websites are available you can check any one, and hang yourself
after knowing ISI best rating.Your petty R&aw is fully afraid by ISI Lions.Soon we ‘ll decimate all the Raw support in pak and we ‘ll move to your country for further operations.
pakistan Zunda Bad!!

EXPAND AND FUND YOUR OPERATIONS IN PAKISTAN , AFGHANISTAN , CENTRAL ASIA , WEST ASIA SAARC AND ASEAN 10 TIMES , OVERWHELM THE ISI WITH 10 TIMES THE AGENTS , BUDGET AND RUTHLESSLY DISINTEGRATE SIND , BALUCHISTAN , NWFP , WAZIRISTAN,GILGIT BALTITSTAN . SET UP LARGE OPERATIONS INSIDE XINXIANG AND TIBET TO STRIKE WHEN REQUIRED. the raw hq from lodhi road be shifted to a new impregnable modern fortress on the outskirts north , west or south of DELHI. THE CIVILAN COMPONENTOF IPS , IAS AND OTHER SERVICES BE REDUCED AND LAWYERS , CAS, BANKERS , ARMED FORCES OFFICERS OTHER RANKS WITH 5 TO 1O YEARS SERVICE TAKEN . LIKE DULLAT RAW SHOULD NOT FEED TERR0RISTS WITH MONEY AND ASSIST THEM WITH ADMISSIONS BUT RUTHLESSLY HUNT THEM AND ELIMINATE THOSE WHO POSE A DANGER AND ARE ARMED .